Electric switch.



W. H. HONSBERGERU ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION EI.LED JULY 30, 1911.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY HONSBERGER, OF WELLAND, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE 0. BROWN, 0F WELLAND, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed July 80, 1917. Serial No. 183,609.

To all whom it may concern: H

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM HENRY HONSBERGER, of the town of Welland,in the county of Welland and Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches;and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same.

This invention relates to a switch, which may be used in connection withan electric lighting apparatus for vehicles, to selec tively control thecircuits for the illumina tion of the headlights and .thenon-ill1nni11ation of the auxiliary light, the dimming of the headlightsand the non-illumination of the auxiliary light, and the dimming of theheadlights and the illumination of the auxiliary light, this electriclighting apparatus comprising a switch-controlled main lighting circuit,a shunt resistor circuit connected with the main lighting circuit, anda-switch-controlled auxiliary lighting circuit connected with the mainlighting cir-- cuit, whereby the closin of the main lighting circuit forthe brilliant illumination of the main lights will open the auxiliarylighting circuit, and the closing of the auxiliary lighting circuit forthe brilliant illumination of the auxiliary light will open the mainlighting circuit and shunt. part of the current through the resistor forthe dimmin of the main lights, and the opening of the main. andauxiliary lighting circuits will shunt the current through the resistor.

for the dimming of the main lights and the non-illumination of theauxiliary light.

This invention relates more particularly to the specific construction ofthe switch, which is provided with a movable switch blade and two fixedcontacts or poles, located at opposite extremities of the oscillation ofthe switch blade, so that the switch blade, when in contact with one ofsaid poles, will close the circuit for the illumination of theheadlights and the nonillumination of the auxiliary light, and when incontact with the other pole, will close the circuit for the illuminationof the auxiliary lightand the dimming of the headlights,

and when in a neutral position between said poles, will open theauxiliary lighting circuit for the non-illumination of the auxiliarylight and the dimming of the head the resistor.

lhe invention further relates to a coupling means forming part of theswitch, by which it. can be secured to the steering post of the vehicle,as hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1, is a diagrammatic View illustratmg the arrangement ofcircuits;

*ig. 2, is a front elevational view showing the switch secured to asteering post;

Fig; 3, is a side ele-vational view 01 the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, is a detail view of the switch, showing the switch blade andfixer. contacts;

Fig. 5, is a rear view of the parts shown inFig. l;

Fig. 6, is an end sectional detail view of the parts shown in Fig. 4, toshow the fixed contacts and the insulator between them;

Fig. 7, is a cross-sectional view of the switch blade;

Fig. 8. is a detail view of one of the switch case parts;

Fig. 9, is a detail View of the other-of the switch case parts and oneof the semi-cylindrical coupling members; and,

Fig. 10, is a detail view of the other semi-cylindrical coupling member.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughoutthespecification and drawings.

a represents the source of current, which may consist of a storage orother batter 6 represents a conductor leading from-the source of currenta to the contactc of the main switch 0. d represents a. conductorleading from the contact 0" of the main switch 0 to the contact eof thecontrol switch. 9 represents a conductor leading from the contact h ofthe control switch to the lamps i of the headlights j. k represents thereturn conductor from the lamps i to the source of current a. Zrepresents a conductor leading from the contact m to the lamp 0 of theauxiliary light 10.. k represeats a return conductor leadiiig' from thelamp 0 of the auxiliary light to the return conductor is, and'rrepresents a resistor in shunt to the conductors (land -9-- For theoperation of the lighting appara. tus, the main switch 0 is closed, sothatthe current may circuit from the-source a,

ductor 6, switch a, to the conductor Whenthe switch blade 7 is in aneutral position between the contacts h and m, the auxiliary light p iscut out and the current passes from the conductor cl, by means of the resistor r, conductor 9, headlight lamps i, and return conductor k, to thesource of current, the headlight lamps, during this circuit, beingdimmed to the extent of the resistance ofiered by the resistor r.

\Vhen the switch blade'f closes the circuit fromthe contact a to thecontact h, the currentpasses from the conductor cl, by means of theswitch 7", conductor 9, lamps i of the headlights j, and returnconductor 1:, to the source of current, this being the direct circuitfrom the source of current a to the lamps z of the headlights j, andwhich, when closed, renders the resistor inoperative and cuts out theauxiliary lighting circuit, so thatthe full strength of'the current maybe utilized for the brilliant illumination of the headlight lamps.

\Vhen the switch blade f is moved to close the circuit from the contacte to the contact m, part of the current is shunted from the conductor dthrough the resistor to the conductor g, and the remainder of thecurrent passes from the conductor cl, by means of the switch blade I,cont-act m, and conductor Z, to the lamp 0 of the auxiliary light p,returning from the lamp by means of the conductor 7a, to the returnconductor is, this circuit brilliantly illuminating the auxiliary lampand dimly illuminating the headlights.

To provide for the necessity of rapidly changing these circuits, duringthe travel .of the vehicle, to either brilliantly illuminate theheadlight lamps or to dim the headlight lamps without illuminatin theaux iliary light, or to dim the headlight lamps and brilliantlyilluminate the auxiliary .light, I have so constructed the control filiiswitch that a single movement of the switch blade will effect thedesired change in the circuits, and I have particularly desi ned thiscontrol switch so that it can be ad ustably connected to the steeringpost of amot or vehicle to' enable the driver to manipulate the switchblade without removing hisv hands from the steering wheel. Vith thispurpose in view, the control switch consists of an insulated base 7", in

which the contacts 0, it and m are set, and provided with the usualbinding posts e, h and m", respectively, for, the conductors (5, lg andZ; On the contact c, is oscillatingl mounted the switch blade f, thisswitc blade being provided with an insulated ham jllej 1 extendingbeyond the insulated twase f".- i l, -(l'vierhan;'[ ing 'laachbf thecontacts k and 311m, is a spring loaf hf and m, respectively,

to engage the switch blade f anclpress it against the contacts 72. and mwhen in encontacts a substantially V-shaped recess f, to i receive acorresponding proJection f on the switch blade f, the purpose of therecess i and the projection f being to prevent 'the ipadvertent movementof the switch blade when in a neutral POSltlOIl, the necessity of thisprevention arising from the jarring and jolting of the car tending tocause the movement of the switch blade.

In closing the switch, is a switch case, comprising two separablemembers 9, g. The member g, to which the switch is appropriately securedby bolts 2, consists of a plate of shape and dimensions corresponding.to the back of the insulated base f, and along each side edge of theswitch case member 9 are inturned flanges r partly overlying its frontsurface. The switch case member q is of corresponding shape anddimensions to the insulated base 1, and the edges 9' of its sides q areoutwardly flared to engage under the inturned flanges r of the switchcase member 9, to maintain the assembly of these parts.

As shown in Fig. 3, the top of the switch case is open, and when. theswitch is inclosed within the switch case, an unoccupied space isprovided between the front of the tween the row 8 and the switch casemember 9, the opposite meeting edge 8 being flanged and provided withholes for the clamping bolts 8 v Cooperating with the coupling member s,is a corresponding coupling member t, having at one of its meetingedges, hook-shaped lugs t to engage through the slots of any row in thecoupling member s and separably connect the two coupling members.

By means of the several rows of slots 8', 8", s, the coupling,consisting of the two coupling members 8 and t, can be increased orreduced in diameter to the approximate I diameter of the steering post,or, in other words, the diameter of'the coupling is readadjustable topermit of the attachment il o; the switch to any of the standard sizesof steering posts.

The edge 23" of the coupling member t is flanged and rovided with holest, corresponding wit the holes a, to receive the c amping bolts 6" bywhich the flanged edges of the coupling members are secured to- ;ether.

ity of rows of slots parallel with its meeting edges, and the otherofwhich is proti'ded with hook-shaped lugs along one meetin edge to engagein the slots of any of sai 2.'In an electric switch to be attached tothe steering post of a vehicle, comprising fixed and movable contacts,and a case therefor consisting of a case member having a body part withinturned flanges along its side edges, and a case member having a bodypart with outwardly flaring sides to be engaged by the inturned flangesof the other case member, and an adjust/a le coupling consisting of twosemi-cyllndrical members one of which is provided with a plurality ofrows of slots parallel with its meeting edges, and the other of which isprovided with hookshaped lugs along one meeting edgeto engage in theslots of any of said rows.

\Velland, July, 1917.

WILLIAM HENRY HONSBEBGER, Signed in the 'resence of-- LYNN B. mucus,ESTELLE PHILLIPS.

